Cranberry-picker.



No. 833,369. 7 PATENTED OUT. 16, 1906.

- G. H. CHANDLER.

CRANBERRY PIGKER.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.27,1904.

Q l l l l l l'l Hllll l tooth or tine.

rnurnn STATES "PATENT ()FFlf(ll CRANBERRY-PICKER- Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1906.

Application filed December 27, 1904. Serial No. 238,336.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. CHANDLER, a citizen of the United States,residing in Marshfield, in the county of Plymouth and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in CranberryPickers, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawingsrepresenting like parts.

's invention relates to a cranberrypicker, and has for its object toimprove the construction and efficiency of the same.

Cranberry-pickers as now commonly constructed and known to me areprovided with tines or teeth made either of wood or of metal, straightor curved. However, the curved wooden tooth is more generally used, buthas the disadvantage of warping or springing from heat, moisture,orother causes both when in use and when not in use, which disadvantage itis the object of this invention to overcome. By this warping orspringing of the curved teeth or tines the efficiency of the picker isreduced, owing to the fact that some of the tines become separated toogreat a distance at their free ends to properly strip or pick theberries, which if stripped from the vines pass down through thewidely-separated teeth or tines and are lost. 7

' The present invention has for its object to provide a cranberrypickerin which the tines are adjustably secured, so that they may be turned orrotated to properly space them and so that they may be adjustedvertically to bring the free ends of the teeth in alinement. To this endthe tines or teeth are clamped to a head or support forming part of thebox, receptacle, or scoop, and 1 4o prefer to employ a clamp for eachtooth or tine, in which clamp said tooth or tine is rotatable to enableit to be turned to bring its free end in proper relation to an adjacentThe head referred to is provided with substantially semicircularbearing-sockets, in which the teeth or tines are supported. These andother features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims atthe end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of cranberrypicker embodying thisinvention Fig. 2, a side elevation, with parts broken away, of thepicker shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4, details in section to be referredto, Fig. 4 being a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 3;

Figs. 5, 6, and 7, ferred to.

The box or scoop a, open at-its front, may be of any usual or suitableconstruction. The scoop a is provided with a plurality of tines or teethpointed at their free ends and usually made of wood. The tines b inaccordance with this invention are secured to a head 0, which issuitably fastened to the scoop and is provided with a slot or channel(1, extended longitudinally of the head, and with a plurality ofsubstantially semicircular sockets e f in its upper surface on each sideof said channel or slot, which sockets extend transversely of the head,each socketf being in alinement with and practically forming acontinuation of a socket e. The teeth or tines b are made cylindrical attheir rear end and have a bearing in the sockets ef and are capable ofrotating therein, so as to enable said tines to be turned to compensatefor warping or springing of the wood, and thus adjust their free ends,so thatthey may be evenly spaced apart. The tines are firmly held intheir adjusted position by cylindrical clamping devices, preferably onefor each tine, and which may be made as herein shown, said clampingdevice being shown in Figs. 1 and 3 as a sleeve 10 of substantiallength, which embraces the portion of the tine above the slot or channeld and which is provided with a depending rod 12, extended down throughthe head and fastened against upward movement, which may be accomplishedby means of a nut 13, which engages the threaded end of the said rod, asclearly represented in Figs. 3 and 4, a washer 14 being interposedbetween the ear.

By reference to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that by tightening upagainst the nut 13 the clamp 10 draws the rear end of the tooth or tinedown into firm engagement with the head and clamps or holds the same tothe latter. By loosening the nut the pressure upon the tine is relievedsufliciently to enable the latter to be turned in the sleeve 10, so asto adjust the pointed or free end of the tine with relation to anadjacent tine, and thus compensate for warping or springing of thewooden tines. After the tines have been adjusted they may be renderedfast to the head by screwing up the nuts 13.

The sockets f may and preferably will extend but partially across thehead to leave a modifications to be resaid. nut and ICC shoulder 16,against which the rear end of the tine may bear to restrain the tinefrom movement backward. So, also,it will be no ticed that the clampingdevice or sleeve 10 engages the tine intermediate its bearings, whichpermits the free 'or pointed ends of the tines to be adjustedvertically, so as to bring them in horizontal alinement by the insertionof a shim or thin piece 17 of metal or other suitable material in thesocket e, as represented in Fig. 5. I

I may prefer to make the clamping-sleeves separate for each tine and ina single piece; but I do not desire to limit my invention in thisrespect, as said clamping devices may be made in two parts and the upperand lower halves of a plurality of parts joined together, as representedin Fig. 6.

From the above description it will be seen that the teeth or tines arenot only rotatably adjustable, but that in case they become broken theycan be removed and replaced substantially in an instant.

In Fig. 7 is shown another modification of the clamping device, whichconsists in a plate or strip of metal having a plurality ofsubstantially semicircular bends 25 to fit over the tines b and a bolt26 at eachside of the tine. I may form a plurality of the bends 25 in asingle piece but, if desired, I may employ a single bend and secure theclamp to the head 0 by a bolt 26 on each side of the said clamp.

I claim- 1. In a cranberry-picker, in combination, a box or scoopprovided with a head extended transversely of said box or scoop andprovided with a longitudinallyextended slot or channel and withtransversely-extended round bearing-sockets on opposite sides of saidslot or channel, a plurality of teeth or tines having their rear endscircular in form to fit said bearing-sockets, sleeves fitted on saidtines between said bearing-sockets and provided with depending rodsextended through said head, and nuts engaging the projecting ends ofsaid rods, substantially as described.

2. In a cranberry-picker, in combination, a. box or scoop providedv witha head having in its upper face. a plurality of substantiallysemicircular sockets open upward, a plurality of teeth or tines restingin said sockets and extended from said head, and clamping means securedto said head and in engagement with the exterior surface of said tinesto frictionally secure the same to said head, said clamping meanspermitting said tines to be rotated in their sockets while said tinesremain in engagement With said clamping means, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a cranberry-picker, in combination, a

box or scoop provided with a head having a longitudinally-extended slotor channel in its upper surface intermediate its sides to formbearing-surfaces for the tines or teeth,

' said tines or teeth extended across said channel or slot and supportedby said bearingsurfaces, clamping means engaging said tines in line withsaid slot or channel, and means to secure said clamping means to saidhead, substantially as described.

4. In a cranberry-picker, in combination, a box or scoop provided with ahead extended transversely of said box or scoop and provided with alongitudinally-extended slot or channel and with transversely-extendedround bearing-sockets on opposite sides of said slot or channel, aplurality of teeth or tines having their rear ends circular in form tofit said bearing-sockets, said tines between said bearing-sockets andprovided with depending rods extended through said head, and means tosecure said rod to said head against upward movement, substantially asdescribed.

5/ In a cranberry-picker, in combination, a scoop or receptacle for theberries, a plurality of teeth extended therefrom,bearingsurfaces for therear ends of said teeth, clamping devices engaging said teeth betweensaid bearingsurfaces, and means cooperating with said clamping devicesto cause the teeth to be firmly held in engagement with theirbearing-surfaces, substantially as described.

6. In a cranberry-picker, in combination, a scoop or receptacle for theberries, a plurality of teeth extended therefrom, bearing-surfaces forthe rear ends of said teeth, said bearingsurfaces being separated toform a slot or channel, and means engaging said teeth in line with saidslot or channel to clamp the rear end of said teeth to theirbearing-surfaces, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANA B. BLACKMAN, LAURENCE E. BLAoKMAN.

sleeves fitted on

